Brad Pitt surprised Super Bowl viewers on Feb. 8, 2026, when Netflix dropped an unexpected trailer for “The Adventures of Cliff Booth,” a follow-up to Quentin Tarantino’s acclaimed 2019 film “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.” The 62-year-old star returns to the stuntman role that earned him his first acting Oscar, reviving one of his most iconic characters in an unanticipated sequel.
The one-minute preview, airing during Super Bowl LX, stunned audiences by confirming Pitt’s return as Cliff Booth. Though Tarantino penned the screenplay, he handed directing duties to David Fincher while he continues developing what he has said will be his 10th and final film.
“I don’t possess many talents, but I know better than to get in the way of a good story,” Pitt’s Cliff Booth says in the teaser, delivering his trademark easygoing charm.
The brief clip, set to old-school music, shows Cliff lounging in a bar, wandering through a movie set, and racing a derby car on a dirt track. The footage features nude women, cigarettes, middle fingers, guns, and profanity—all humorously censored using animated effects. One moment includes Booth placing an Oscar on his desk, referencing Pitt’s real-life award for the original film.
The trailer also shows Elizabeth Debicki alongside Pitt, with her character referencing events from the original movie. In “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” Cliff Booth and Rick Dalton—played by Leonardo DiCaprio—faced off with the Manson Family in Tarantino’s revisionist 1960s Los Angeles. The sequel moves into the 1970s, with DiCaprio’s Dalton not returning.
Additional cast glimpses include Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Scott Caan, Carla Gugino, Holt McCallany, and JB Tadena. Timothy Olyphant is set to return as Western actor James Stacy.
Debicki discussed the project at January’s Sundance Film Festival, sharing her excitement. “I just wrapped on Fincher’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood sequel, which was just such a dream to make,” Debicki told PEOPLE. “We shot it for nearly six months in L.A., and I just adored working with David.”
Pitt earned his second career Oscar—and his first for acting—for the Cliff Booth role at the 2020 Academy Awards. He previously won for producing “12 Years a Slave” in 2014. The original “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” collected 10 Oscar nominations and secured two wins: Best Production Design and Pitt’s Best Supporting Actor award.
The Tarantino–Fincher collaboration brings together two of Hollywood’s most distinctive directors. While Tarantino created Cliff Booth and his world, Fincher lends his trademark precision and visual style to the sequel. The movie reunites Pitt and Fincher for the first time since “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (2008), following their earlier work on “Se7en” (1995) and “Fight Club” (1999). “Frequent Fincher” collaborator Erik Messerschmidt serves as cinematographer, with Tarantino producing alongside Pitt, David Heyman, Ceán Chaffin, and Stacey Sher.
For Pitt, revisiting Cliff Booth marks an important milestone in a career where he has often supported other leading actors. Despite his fame, he has frequently appeared in supporting parts, working alongside performers like DiCaprio, George Clooney, and Ed Norton. This sequel places him decisively at center stage.
Netflix plans to release “The Adventures of Cliff Booth” later this year, though no exact date has been revealed. Dropping the trailer during the Super Bowl represents a major promotional investment, securing one of the priciest ad slots to introduce the film.
The sequel joins a lineup of notable trailers shown during the broadcast, including Steven Spielberg’s UFO film “Disclosure Day,” “Scream 7” featuring Neve Campbell’s return, and a preview for “The Mandalorian and Grogu.”
The unexpected announcement—kept entirely under wraps until the Super Bowl—sparked considerable excitement, with fans eager to see Pitt return to the role.
Filmed fully on location in Los Angeles and wrapping production on Jan. 15, 2026, “The Adventures of Cliff Booth” is expected to hit Netflix in the coming months. The streamer’s decision to invest in a prime Super Bowl spot suggests strong confidence in the film’s ability to capture viewers’ attention and build on its Oscar-winning predecessor’s success.